Steel and concrete construction



1 Jan. 1, 1935. w. A. WlLS ON 1,986,171.

I STEEL AND CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Fiied June 16, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ml/ c2772 when.

. y i g d/ (Kg J 143 Jan. 1, 1 935. w w

' STEEL AND CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 19:51

:HMM%M W 1 H n Q Jan." 1, 1935. w. A. WILSON STEEL AND CONCRETECONSTRUCTION Filed June 16, 195]. 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 1, 1935. w. A.WILSON STEEL AND CONCRETE CON STRUGTION1 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 16,1951 Jan. 1, 1935. w. A. WILSON 1,936,171

I I STEEL AND CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 16, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5gwventoi:

w mm' for reinforcing floors, for purlins in roof con-.

Patented Jan. 1, 1935 UNI T ED STATE 5 PATENT OFFICE.

' 7 1,986,171 7 7 STEEL AND CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION William'A. Wilson,Canonsburg, Pa., assignor of three-fourths to Frederick R. Wilson andonefourth to Elmer Leach, both of Canonsburg, Pa. Application June 16,1931, Serial No. 544,863

10 Claims.

My invention relates to steel and concrete construction for buildings,including bridge work, and has particular'reference to'theprovision of aform'of bar joist or truss especially adapted struction, and for variousother structural work.v

The primary object of my invention therefore is to provide a structuralunit inithe form of a bar joist or trussmember of light constructionconsistent with the required strength, in the present instance the. unitbeing fabricated"v at comparatively small cost, and contemplatesstrengthening of the same at those pointsrequiredto overcome thegreatestamount of. stress thus permitting spans of greater length to be used inthe construction of; floors, etc.

Afurther object of my inventionis to provide an improved constructionfor concrete .floors in which the bar joist or structural unit willfacilitate the application of the floor materialupon which the concreteis poured,.in some instances the said bar joist being encasedwith'sheet' metal to give a finished or exposed beam appearanceto theceiling below thefloor.

Other objects andadvantages of my improved steel andconcreteconstruction will appear. in the following description of myinvention, and what Iparticularly claim asnewand desire to protect byLetters Patent is more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

Inthe drawingsi- Figure 1 is aperspectiveview of the structural unit orbar joist. v

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the bar. joist supported in positionto receive the floor material.

Fig.3 is a plan View showing one form of floor platesused in connectionwith the structural unit.

or bar joist.

Fig; 4 issa similarview showing another. form of floorzplates. I

Fig; 5-is-an enlarged transverse sectionalview on the line 5-5, of Fig.3; with the addition of the concrete surface. and'reinforcing element.

Fig. 61s a similar view on theline 66 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 7 to 13"inclusive are transverse sectional views illustratingmodifications in the use of floor plates and casings supported by thebar joist.

Fig. .14 is a sectional view showingthe use of the bar joist insupporting wood floors.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of a floor construction employing thestructural unit or bar. joist in reverse position.

Fig. 16 is a sectional'view thereof on; the line 1616 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 1'7 is asectional view of a roof construction employingthestructural unit or bar-joist as purlins.

. Fig. 18isa detail view showing the manner of connecting the purlinstojtherafters.

Fig. 19 is a side elevation illustrating a, modiiicationwhichcontemplates the formation of the structural unit of sheet metal.

Fig. 20 is an end view of the modified formof structural unit. a 1 aFig. 21 is a transverse sectional view onjthe .line 21-2l of Fig; 19. 1Fig. 22 is a further modification of aconcret'e flooring, and

Figs. 23, 24, and25show a modification ofthe bar. joist.

Like numerals of reference indicate like, parts in the several views ofthe drawings. 1

In carrying out my invention one ofi theim portant features thereofconsistsin providingl a structuraliunit 24 made up ofjthreebarsispacedapart to form an arrangement ofsaid bars-triangular in cross. sectionwithdiagonal rods. of different thicknesses connecting one of the barsto the other tworespectively leaving anopen side to the structural unit,and to this end. a main longitudinalbar25ris connectedrto a pair ofspaced: apart parallel bars 26;. 26', by diagonal rods or webs 2'7 and28 extending 1 in-opposite directions from themainbarand'outzof linewith each other transversely of the unit,-saiddiagonal rods being inV'-shape sections with their ends bent outwardly and welded to the'bars26, 26 respectively while the angle'thereof iswelded to the bar 25. Theends of these V,-shape rodsor webs may be and preferably are-welded tothe under or inner side. of the pair of bars while the angle portion iswelded to one side offithe main bar, although in some instances it maybedesired to weld the extended endstothe-outer side-of the pair of bars.as illustrated in- Figs. 10 to 14 inclusive. Byforming the diagonal rodsorwebs of the structural unit inV-shape sec? tions and welding them tothe longitudinal bars-or chords it not only facilitates the. fabricationof this type of bar joist or structural unitas to length, etc., but Whatis'more important itprovides that web sections orF-V-shape rods ofdifferent thicknesses may be employed throughout the length of thejoistor strut to increasethe strength thereof ,at desired' points where agreater amountof stress may be imposed; as for instance at the endsalone (see sections: 27a, 28a Fig. 1) or. at the ends and center; and ofcourse the thickness of these sections may he graduated;. in. otherwords. in' making; up: the

structural unitwith sectional V-shape webs the latter may be of the samethickness throughout the length of the bar joist or trussor of diiferentthicknesses to meet varying conditions, whereby in either instance alight but strong structural unit is provided having a wide range of usein steel and concrete construction. When the structural unit is completethe ends of the pair of bars project beyond the webs so as to rest on agirder 29 or wall 30, as the case may be, and it will be obvious thatthe main rod may be bent upwardly and outwardly to also rest on thesupporting element for the structural unit, andof course it can beshortened when required in certain situations by simply sawing offeither end portion thereof. It will thusbe seenythat 1 provide astructural unit in the form of a bar joist or truss that may beconveniently and effectively used in various building structures: as forinstance in steel, terra cotta, wooden and reinforced concrete floorconstruction, as well as roof construction, examples of which areillustratedin the accompanying drawings andhereinafterfparticularlydescribed, and forconvenience in setting the structural unit or barjoist inplace on the supports the ends of the pair of bars may be andpreferably are connected by short plates 24a welded-to theunderside ofsaid ends; I

In using the structural unit or bar joist 24 in laying a concrete floorwith'a plain plastered ceiling below, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the saidbar joists are'spaced'apart the required distance and floor platesBlemployed to extend between them with the ends 32 of the platesbent upand over the upper pair of bars 26, 26 and said'plates held in plac'eto'prevent sagging during the operation of pouring the concrete flooring33 by means of wires 34"attached to said ends and extending downwardlyaround the lower bar of the joist, the upper end of the latter beingclosed by a U-shape plate 35 the endsof which are curved over the bentends of the floor plates, and to reinforce the concrete temperature rods36 are laid before the concrete is poured. In a plate so constructed thebar joist or structural unit employed permits pipes 37, 38 to beextended through the same, and for supporting the expanded metal 39 toreceive the plaster 40 for the ceilingbelow said expanded metal isattached to the bar joist by means of wires 41. In thisinstancethatportion of the concrete contained within the U-shape plate 35 at theupper ends of the bar joists form bracing ribs, and of course saidU-shape plates may be'deeper, as shown in Fig. '7, to providethicker'reinforcing ribs, or as shown in Fig. 6 the bar joist and pipesmay be enclosed in concrete by using a sheet metal casing42 instead ofthe U-shape plate, in thislatter instance said casing connection withthe floor plates 31 providing a finished ceiling below of the exposedbeam type, and a similar arrangement may be carried outwith respect tothe floor construction shown in Fig. 7 employing-a U-shape plate for aconcrete rib43 instead of a concrete beam 44, Fig. 6. [In each instancethe sheet metalcasing is secured to the floor plates by bolts 45extending through fianges 46 at the .upper ends of said casing andthroughthe floor plates, with the ends of .said bolts embedded in theconcrete floor. As will be obvious the bending of the ends of the floorplates up and over the upper bars 26 of the bar joists and tying saidplates to the lower bar 25 in the manner hereinbefore described willresist theweight' of the workers during the operation of laying'andfinishing the. concrete flooring encased to provide a finished ceilingbelow the concrete floor.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive the ends of thefloor plates 50, 50 are merely bent over the upper bars 26, 26 of thefloor joist; and the diagonal rods or webs 27, 28 are welded to theouter sides of said upper bars, while in Fig. 11 instead of'using wiresfor holding the ends of the plates in engagement with said upper barsboth the floor plates 51, 51 and U-shape plate 52are made of corrugatedmetal so that the extended-upper ends of the U-shape plates willinterlock with the floor plates, a similar arrangeinent being shown inFig.22, but in this instance the corrugated floor plates extend at rightangles to the bar joists, and in Fig. 12 instead of bolting the casing53 to the 11001 plates the flanged ends 54 of said casing are turnedinwardly between the floor'plates 50 and upper pair of bars of thejoist. Asa further modification, for the purpose of providing an encasedconcrete beam of rectangular formation, the bar joist may consist offour lon gitudinal bars 55 connected by diagonal rods or ribs 56 in amanner similar to the triangular shaped bar joist with the lowerlongitudinal bars connected by diagonal or zigzag rods 57. With thislast mentioned construction of flooring the floor plates '58, 58 may bemerely bent over the upper longitudinal rods or bent up and over ashereinbefore described with the downwardly extended endsconnected to thelower longitudinal bars by wires 59 and 60, the casing 61 being clampedto the floor plates by bolts 62.

The constructions of concrete flooring hereinbefore-described serve toillustrate various different ways of utilizing the structural unit, barjoist or truss shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and of course where anordinarvwooden floor is to be laid wooden strips 63. may be attached tothe upper bars of said bar joist'or'structural unit by metal straps 64so that the floor orsubfiooring65 can be nailed thereto; in other words,I wish to'stress the point that the application of the structural unitis 'not'limited to any particular character'of building construction,nor to uses as a joist or truss, for as illustrated in Figs. 15 and"ldsaid unit may be embedded within the concrete'fioor as areinforcement thereof, as for instance in bridge work, and in thisinstance it may be .reversed so that the pair of bars 26, 26 will beat'the lower end of the reinforcement, and for spacing them apart inregular or predetermined order spacing rods 66 are employed, said rodsbeing in pairs connected by short pieces 67 weldedthereto and-bent toformseats 68 for the lower bars of the units and depending portions 69so as to raise the body of the rods and reinforcing units mountedthereon above the floor plates 70, so as to be embedded in the concretefloor '78"The floor plates are supported on transverse I-beams '71connected at their ends to I-beams '72 by plates '73, and the lastmentioned I-beams connected by plates 75 to larger I-beams 74, and inthis instance additional reinforcing rods .76 and 77 are extendedtransversely with respect to the struc- 'tu-ral units' passing betweenthe' 'diag onal rods or webs-mp2s there'otj By this arrangeinent' usingstructural units: to 'rei'n'force the concr ete floor supported by thelongitudinal and transversel beams a' very strong l structure isprovided especially adapted iorbridge work to withstand heavy trafiic;and" of course diffierent thicknesses oi shape rods. forming the webs ofthe-reinforcing units may :be'used either throughout: the length oi theuni'tor distributed accordingto strength required} and in laying;the::rein1brcing units the pairs 'or spacing rods willnotpnlyifacilitate.the operation but: will also insure? equal spacing: .of 'said unitsapart as the saidlrods are bent so. that the seats os which receive. theunits are equi distant. I a f In addition to the: use .ofithe structuraliunit for the purposes hereinbefore described Lhave shown a furtherapplication iof 'the samenin Figs. 1'1 :and 18; where itis-usedas-purlins ini roof construo tion, said structural unit orpurlins24weldediat th'ei'r ends: to theplatesc24a. being. secured .to.the rafters 79 by bolts 80, the otherparts: of .the. roof being "of aconventional. or. approyedic'onstr'uction withthe sheathing SLrestingonnthepurlins. to receivethe roofing-material. Of. course any othe er.means may be employed. for/attaching the structural units orpurlinsl-to. the rafters, .but'by providing them with end plates-bywhich they. are bolted oriwelded' in'place onsthe. inclined rafters: itfacilitates :their application in the, building act. the roof. ,i T

In :Figs. 19. to; 21.I:have illustrated. a-modificationof thestructural. unit: by. which it is pro' posed :to roll thesameirom a.plate. of sheet metal to present. the generalcharacteristicshereinbefore set forthwithreference to.:the-constructionemploying bars. and the vi-shape rods'iorming the bracingmembers'or'webs, in themodification the sides 82, 82 of therolledplatebeing joined atthe bottom by an inwardly bent. longitudinal'rib. 33 whilesaid. sides are provided'withaoutwardlyprm jecting zigzagribs '34,.and; tlsi'e upper ends. 85 rolled to receive'the'curved endsofthe floor plates for engagement of. the 'latte'ritherewith; In: thisinstance also the rolledupper. ends'of the .struc v tural unitprojectunder the body portioneso. that they maybe weldedqto plates forsecuring :.the

structural unit in-place By providing the .longie tudinal rib at thebottorn'or angletof the structural unit and having the ribs at the sidesthereof disposed diagonally in opposite directions they form importantreinforcing elements of the structure to withstand strain when the unitis in use, and of course it may be employedin the numerous situationsshown in connection with the preferred form of structural unit or barjoist. It will be understood that in both forms of joists described, theV-shape rods or webs 27, 28 of the bar joist and ribs 84, 34 of theplate joist are staggered at opposite sides of the structural unit so asto increase stability.

As a still further modification of the bar joist I propose to connectthe short rods bent into V- shape form to the lower and upper bars orchords so that the two members or webs will extend vertically betweenthe three rods at opposite sides of the unit, as shown in Figs. 23, 24,and 25 of the drawings, in this instance the V-shape rods 88 being bentupwardly at the angle so as to seat on the lower bar or chord 86 towhich it is welded with the upper ends of the members or webs welded tothe under side of the upper bars 87, 8'7, and as shown in Fig. 25 thefloor plates 89, 89 to receive the concrete may be made of terra cottaor gypsum with a closing section "90 oi 'like ma terial-as the floorplates. 1 t The floor plates are shaped as shown toiflt over theupperbars of the b'ar -joist and are'reiniorced'withsteel rodsi 9'1;

From the foregoing description it is apparent that 'my inventionprovides a-structural unit for building constructionsof I all kinds:that can -be fabrisated' at comparatively small a cost' by weld ingtheV- shape webs to" the longitudinal bars of the: structure permitting theuse oi -Webs or rods of different diameters according to strengthrequired, and-the length of thevunit will be do termined by the lengthsof the longitudinal rods. Furthermore; as-the structural units areV-shape in crosssection theymay be nested forcompact ness intransportation one: within the other; and should-it be required-toshorten any' of the'units at the building site it may be done bysimpIysawin'gthrbughthe chords and webss i ln' theuse of the'or dinary formsofbar joists I it is customary to space them from-l1 to 1 5" apart, but byreason'of. the rigidity provided in the construction. of a my" improvedbar joist herein shown and described they may be "spaced 24 apartwithout requiringlateral bracing or'bridg ing between them, the web's atopposite sides of the unit being-staggered so that their connection tothe bottom chordisalso staggered and-atop each bent into V-shape withoutwardly extended ends welded at-the angle to-tlie main bar and attheends to the pair of bars respectively. said V-' 'shape rods bei'n'gin series' at'opposite sides o'f'the unit;"together with plates-weldedto=the ends of the pair of 'lo'ngitudinal bars. Y

' 2. Astructural unit comprising three longitudi nal barsspaced aparttriangular in cross "section topresenta main bar and a-paii' of-bars'spaced therefromand' frorn' eaeh'o ther; and short rods of differentthicknesses each bent into V-shape with outwardly extended ends weldedat the angle to the main bar and at the ends to the pair of barsrespectively, said V-shape rods being in series at opposite sides of theunit to form diagonal bracing members or webs; together with transverseplates welded to the ends of the longitudinal bars.

3. A concrete floor construction comprising structural units or barjoists each consisting of three longitudinal bars spaced aparttriangular in cross section to present a lower main bar and an upperpair of bars spaced therefrom andfrom each other with short bent rods inseries at opposite sides of the unit welded to the main bar and pair ofupper bars, floor plates extending between the bar joists and bent overthe upper bars thereof, wires connecting the ends of the floor plates tothe lower bar of the bar joists, and U- shape plates connected at theirends to the fioor' plates, with a layer of concrete supported by saidplates and bar joists. 1 4. A concrete floor construction comprisingstructural units or bar joists each consisting of three longitudinalbars spaced apart triangular in cross section topresent a lower main barand an upperpair of bars spaced therefrom with short V-shape rods weldedto the lower main bar and upper pair of bars at'opposite sides of thebar joist, floor plates extending between the" bar joists and bent overthe upper bars thereof, and U-shape plates curved outwardly at theirupper ends to fit over the bent ends of the floor plates anddependinginto the bar joists, with a layer of concrete supported by saidplates and bar joists.

5. A concrete floor construction comprising structural units or barjoists each consisting of three longitudinal bars spaced aparttriangular in cross sectionto present a lower main bar and an upper pairof bars spaced therefrom with short V-shape rods welded to the lowermainbar and upper pair of bars at opposite sides of the bar joist, floorplates extending between the bar joists and bent over the upper barsthereof, and U-shape plates curved outwardly at their upper ends to fitover the bent ends of the floor plates and depending into the bar joiststogether with temperature rods laidupon the bent ends of the aforesaidplates, said plates and bar joists being adapted to support a layer ofconcrete.

6. A concrete floor construction comprising structural units or barjoists each consisting of three longitudinal bars spaced aparttriangularin cross section-to present a lower main bar and an upper pairof bars spaced therefrom with short V -shape rods weldedto the lowermain bar and upper pair of bars atv opposite sides of the bar joist,floor plates corrugatedlongitudinally with respectto the bar joists andextending between said bar joists and bent over the upper bars thereof,and U-shape corrugated plates curved outwardly at their upper ends tofit over the bent ends of the floor plates for interlocking engagmenttherewith, said plates andbarjoists being adapted to support a layer ofconcrete.

'7. A concrete floor construction comprising structural units or barjoists each consisting of three longitudinal bars spaced aparttriangular in cross section to present a lower main bar and an upperpair of bars spaced therefrom with short V-shape rods welded to thelowermain bar and upper pair of bars at opposite sides of the bar joist,floor plates extending'between the bar joists and bent over the upperbars thereof, wires connecting the ends of the floor plates to the lowerbar of the bar joist, and a casing enclosing the bar joist and attachedat its upper ends to the floor plates.

8. A vconcrete floor construction comprising structural-units or barjoists each consisting of three longitudinal bars spaced aparttriangular in cross section to present a lower main bar and an upperpairjof bars spaced therefrom with short V-shape rods welded to thelower main bar and upper pair of bars at opposite sides of the barjoist, floor plates extending between the bar joists and bent over theupper bars thereof, wires connecting the ends of the floor plates tothelower bar of. the bar joist, a casing enclosing the bar joist and havingflanges at its upper ends by which it is connected to the floor plates,and bolts securing the casing to the floor plates, said bolts projectingabove the floor plates to be embedded in a layer ofconcrete supported bysaid plates and bar joists.

9. A concrete floor construction 1 comprising structural units or barjoists each consisting of a plurality-of longitudinal bars connected byshort V-shape rods welded to said bars, floor plates bent over theupperba'rs of the floor joist, wires connecting the ends of the floorplates to the lower bars, and casings enclosing the floor joists, andsecured at their upper ends to the floor plates, the concrete beingpoured upon the plates and into the casings to form an exposed beamceiling below the flooring.

10. A concrete floor construction comprising structural units or barjoistseach consisting of three longitudinal bars spaced apart triangularin cross section to present a lower main bar and an upper pair of barsspaced therefrom with short V-shape rods weldedto the lower main bar andupper pair of bars at opposite sides of the bar joists, floor platesextending between the bar joists and bent over the upper bars thereof, areinforcing element consisting of longitudinal rods and U-shape rodswelded thereto with the upper ends of the U-shape rods extending overthe upper bars of the bar joist, and a casing enclosing the bar joistand reinforcing element, said casing being secured at its upper ends tothe floor plates, the

said floor plates and casing being adapted to res WILLIAM A. WILSON.

